Bassett Rescue Squad volunteers in recovery after ambulance crash

BASSETT, Va. (WDBJ) - Three Bassett Rescue Squad volunteers are in recovery after their ambulance wrecked Sunday.

One of them was hurt severely enough to be flown to a hospital, but everyone is reportedly okay.

“It makes us feel better that they are recovering, because it could have been a lot worse,” said Jesse McGrady, Medic Firefighter for the Bassett Rescue Squad. “We are very thankful to our family here at the station and in the community. The community has shown a lot of support for us during this time. It’s good to know that there’s always someone there with your back.”

The crash is under investigation by the Virginia State Police to determine the cause.

The incident serves as a reminder of the risks they face daily.

“A lot of times, when we get a priority one call, it involves a higher-than-normal speed. When you’re alongside the road for a wreck or something, it’s always dangerous with oncoming traffic and things that can happen. It’s dangerous not just for us, but for the fire and the police and everyone else that’s involved at the scene,” added McGrady.

Prior to the crash they had four ambulances - but now they are down to just three.

They say that will not have an impact on emergency response times, thanks to help from the surrounding rescue squads in the area along with Henry County Public Safety.

“Sometimes you would think that when something like this happens, that it would put an end to things, but we support each other. We try to come together and make sure that the community is still being served for their health and all their other needs that they have,” explained McGrady.

“We work through it as a family,” said Cassandra Durel, EMT Driver for the Bassett Rescue Squad. “We get together as a family. We lean on our surrounding rescue squads. They’ve been there for us. They’ve reached out for help and been there to help us. They’ve been amazing to us.”

They plan to restore or replace the ambulance that was involved in the accident to maintain the number of calls they receive.

To volunteer for the Bassett Rescue Squad stop by the station or reach out to them on their website.

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